The Next Best Thing
by Serena Thorn
Summary: Post-2x11. Veronica is missing Duncan and that's what has brought her to this particular man's doorstep. Luckily for her she's the spitting image of his own fantasy.


Title: The Next Best Thing  
Rating: PG-13  
Summary: Post-2x11. Veronica is missing Duncan and that's what has brought her to this particular man's doorstep. Luckily for her she's the spitting image of his own fantasy.  
Spoilers: 2x11  
Characters/Pairing: Veronica/Jake, mentions Jake/Celeste, past Jake/Lianne, past V/Duncan  
Word Count: 771  
Disclaimer: Veronica Mars is not owned by me, but by Rob Thomas. I'm simply borrowing these characters for non-profit entertainment.  
A/N: I know it's twisted, but it wouldn't leave me alone.

* * *

You didn't have to tell Veronica it was wrong, she knew it. In fact that was the very word flashing like a big, red neon sign in her mind as she walked towards the place she thought she would never come back to, not to mention be welcome, again. It was wrong, she knew it. Moreover she knew the likelihood that in the morning she would chalk this night up to projection or just feeling the need to punish herself again, but she couldn't care. Nothing had happened yet, nothing more than her walking up to his house just before midnight at least.

It had been two years since she had seen her best friend carried away from this mansion and a year since she had been there at all. Now here she stood on this doorstep, invited, but still pausing before alerting anyone she was there.

Duncan had been gone now for a few weeks, but she still missed him even though she knew he was better off where he was with his daughter. She also knew that she was the only one who knew that fact, but they both knew that she wasn't the only one who missed him.

Veronica finally raised her hand and knocked on the front door. Normally by this point she would be getting at least a little anxious and preparing for a verbal sparring match with Celeste Kane, but not tonight. Celeste wasn't there tonight.

But Jake was.

Her mother's ex, the man who could have been her father, the man who was Duncan's father, her real father's rival, the man Keith had tried to destroy. It was hardly a secret that Jake and Celeste didn't even share the same bed anymore. _Thank you, Duncan for that lovely tidbit of information._ So what she was doing here tonight hardly seemed to even be a question.

"Veronica," he smiled softly at the sight of her when he opened the door. Why he was even a little surprised she was actually there he couldn't be sure. Though he had been surprised that she had taken him up on his invitation. Of course he had known what the accusations against her had been since Celeste had kept him well informed even from the sheriff's department; even if mostly over the phone and through her ranting about the sheriff letting Veronica off light.

"Mr. Kane," she replied without even a hint of the nervousness she was suddenly feeling. You would think if there would ever be a time for her to start calling him Jake, it would be now. Still, she watched him step aside to allow her in. Honestly, she was a little relieved that not only did they both know what this was about, but that they weren't pretending that it was anything else.

Part of Jake would always love Lianne, just as part of Veronica would always love Duncan. But now they were lost to both of them. And now that they knew they themselves weren't father and daughter made this feel just a little less wrong or dirty in seeking a night of solace within each other.

Just as there was soon no pretending for Veronica that it was anyone but Jake Kane kissing her when they reached an upstairs guest room, Jake couldn't even try to imagine it was Lianne behind his closed eyelids.

Veronica was smaller, softer and, it killed him to admit it but, it was comforting to not taste even a hint of alcohol on her tongue. And in turn Jake wasn't even attempting to be his son for her. He knew he couldn't even if he wanted to. Duncan hadn't had to bend to kiss her, he was slimmer than Duncan and given the thirty years experience he had on his son, he knew he wasn't kissing her like any teenager would or had.

Veronica swore she would never admit it, but she was thankful for those obvious differences between them as she kissed him and clung to him. If she had really wanted to pretend she was back with Duncan she would have gone to his similarly built best friend (so similarly built she had already confused Logan for Duncan once, though that stupid argyle sweater had been mostly to blame) and not his father. But then Veronica knew Jake was looking for a fantasy of his own, one that she could provide far better than the wife few knew even he despised.

Maybe they couldn't have those they truly wanted, but for tonight they knew they would at least have the next best thing.

The End


End file.
